Display device

ABSTRACT

A carton cover which may be converted to an upright display panel comprises an information bearing rectangular top panel, and depending sideflaps having rearwardly downwardly inclined front edges, a relatively deep rectangular front flap and a relatively shallow rectangular rear flap, the flaps being delineated from the panel by fold lines. Upwardly outwardly inclined slots are formed in the front panel bottom edge proximate the corners thereof. Coupling tabs include upwardly projecting tongues along the lower front edges of the sideflaps and are spaced therefrom and connected thereto by integrally formed bridge sections. As an erected display the coupling tabs engage the slot, the tongues functioning as rear feet, and the panel is supported along its front edge in an upwardly rearwardly inclined position.

United States Patent Altman et al.

[is] 3,640,010 451 Feb. 8, 1972 [54] DISPLAY DEVICE [72] Inventors:Murray Altman, Valley Stream; Mordecai R. Craig, Demarest; Irwin H.Block, New

York, all of NY. [731 Assignee: The Purdue Frederick Company [22] Filed:Feb. 16, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 11,627

Primary Examiner-Jerome Schnall Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J.Contreras Attorney-Stanley Wolder [57] ABSTRACT A carton cover which maybe converted to an upright display panel comprises an informationbearing rectangular top panel, and depending sideflaps having rearwardlydownwardly inclined front edges, a relatively deep rectangular frontflap and a relatively shallow rectangular rear flap, the flaps beingdelineated from the panel by fold lines. Upwardly outwardly inclinedslots are formed in the front panel bottom edge proximate the comersthereof. Coupling tabs include upwardly projecting tongues along thelower. front edges of the sideflaps and are spaced therefrom andconnected thereto by integrally formed bridge sections. As an erecteddisplay the coupling tabs engage the slot, the tongues functioning asrear feet, and the panel is supported along its front edge in anupwardly rearwardly inclined position.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB 8072 3.640.010

INVENTORS MURRA 041. r/m/v Jew/N H 8.404%

ATTO NEY DISPLAY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates generally to improvements in display devices and itrelates more particularly to a carton provided with an improvedseparable cover which may be assembled into a self supporting displaypanel.

It is a common practice in the dispensing and vending of packagedproducts to ship and store the products in covered cartons. At the pointof sale the products are frequently displayed in the carton with thecover removed, the product carrying carton being placed on shelves oratop counters or the like. Part of the vending procedure often includesthe provision of advertising and informational material which aredisplayed in connection with the sales of .the product. However, suchadvertising and information display material is often exhibited atlocations separated from the product and must be independently supportedand the general practice in such cases is to provide display deviceswhich are no part of the shipping carton, per se. Accordingly,conventional display devices of the above type represent a considerableadditional expense and a great inconvenience in the handling anddistribution thereof and otherwise leave much to be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is principal object of the present inventionto provide an improved display device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved cartoncover which may be easily and rapidly converted to a separate selfsupporting display device or panel.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedshipping carton from which the cover may be separated from the base anderected as a self supporting display panel and the product beattractively exhibited in the opened carton.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of theabove nature characterized by its versatility, adaptability, ease andconvenience of use, low cost and attractive appearance.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferredembodiment thereof.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a displaycarton cover formed of a unitary blank and comprising an informationbearing rectangular top panel, a front flap integrally formed with anddepending from the front edge of said top panel and delineated therefromby a fold line, a sideflap integrally formed with and depending fromeach side of said top panel and delineated therefrom by a fold line, theedges of said side flaps proximate said front flap forming acute angleswith corresponding side edges of said top panel, said front andsideflaps being provided with cooperating coupling means proximate theiradjacent edges, and said front flap being inwardly foldable about saidtop panel front edge to form an acute angle with said top panel and saidsideflaps being inwardly swingable to bring said front edges thereofinto confronting relationship with the inner face of said bottom flap,sand said coupling means being interengagable to retain said front andsideflaps in said inwardly folded positions to form a locked displaydevice wherein said top panel defines a display panel forming an acuteangle with said front flap.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,rectangular flaps depend from the front and rear edges of the top panel,the front flap being of greater height than the rear flap. Obliqueupwardly outwardly inclined opposite diverging slots are formed in thefront flap bottom edge proximate the comers thereof. A locking orcoupling tab is formed at the lower front comer of each sideflap andincludes a bottom crosspiece terminating in an upwardly directed tongueupwardly converging with and spaced from the sideflap front edge. Thecarton base with which the cover is associated includes uprightsidewalls and rectangular front and rear walls,

the rear wall being higher than the front wall. In the assembled displaydevice, the locking tabs engage the front flap slots and the device iserected with the front flap defining a base resting along its front onits fold edge with the top panel and at its rear on the tab tongues andthe top panel extends rearwardly upwardly at an angle to the front flapand defines a display panel.

As is apparent from the above, the carton cover may be easily andrapidly converted to a separate self supporting upright display paneland does not increase the cost or bulk of the carton and is of greatversatility, adaptability and attractive appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of acarton and cover embodying the present invention and shown in a cartonclosed condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective front elevational view of the carton coverassembled and erected as a display panel;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the lower part thereof;and

FIG. 4 is a lay flat plan view of the carton cover display device blank.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingwhich illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, thereference numeral 10 generally designates the improved carton whichincludes a base, receptacle or tray section I 1 and a convertible coverdisplay section 12. The carton base section 11 is of conventional,preferably self-erecting construction, and is formed of cardboard ofsuitable stock or of any desirable material. The base section 11includes a rectangular bottom wall, a relatively low vertical front wall13, a relatively high vertical rear wall, and vertical sidewalls 14extending between the front and rear walls and having upwardlyrearwardly inclined top edges 16. Information such as instructions,advertising, representations or the like may be applied to the outsidefaces of the base walls by printing or otherwise and the carton base maybe decorated as desired.

The cover display section 12 is integrally formed of a unitary blank 17which may be of the same material as the base section 1 l and includes arectangular panel 18 of substantially the same dimensions as that of theinside transverse cross section of the base section 11. A rectangularfront flap 19 extends from and is coextensive with the front edge ofpanel 18 and is delineated therefrom by a suitable fold line a and arectangu-' lar rear flap 20 extends from and is coextensive with therear edge of panel 18 and is delineated therefrom by a fold line b, thedepth of rear flap 20 being less than that of front flap l9.

Extending from each of the side edges of panel 18 and coextensivetherewith and delineated therefrom by a fold line 0 is a sidepanel 21.Each sidepanel 21 has a relatively short transverse rear edge 22substantially colinear with fold line b, a relatively long oblique frontedge 23 extending outwardly rearwardly from the corresponding frontcorner of panel 18 at an end of fold line 2, and a rearwardly inwardlyoblique outer edge 24.

A coupling tab 26 is integrally formed at the front outer comer of eachsideflap 21 and includes a forwardly extending bridge section orcrosspiece 27 whose outer edge is colinear with sideflap outer edge 24and which terminate in an inwardly directed finger or tongue 28 spacedfrom sideflap front edge 23 by a slot 29. The outer side edge 25 oftongue 28 lies along a line intersecting the inner end of flap edge 23.An oblique coupling slot 30 is formed in the front edge of front flap 19shortly inwardly of each front corner thereof and extends rearwardlyoutwardly from the front edge of flap [9 a short distance along a linewhich intersects the corresponding rear comer of flap 19. The length ofeach slot 30 is substantially equal to the depth of crosspiece 27 in theproximity of slot 29.

The outer or top face of panel 18, as well as the outer faces of flaps19 and have applied thereto information 15, such as instructions, data,representations, advertising, or other material, by printing or thelike, and may be decorated as desired.

When the section 12 is employed as a cover to close theproduct-containing carton 10, the flaps 19, 20 and 21 have their edgesmutually free and are folded along lines a, b and c, downwardly so as todepend vertically from horizontal top panel 18. The base section 11 isclosed by inserting flaps 19, 20 and 21 between the packaged product inbase section 11 and the front, rear and sidewalls respectively thereofand in slidingengagement with the inside faces of these walls, as shovmin FIG. 1. The top panel 18, in the carton closed condition, is at aboutthe level of the top edge of the base section rear wall and rests on thepackaged product.

To assemble and erect the section 12 as a display device, it is removedfrom base section 11 to expose the product therein. The sideflaps 21 arefolded inwardly as is the front flap 19 to bring the slots 29 and 30into mutual engagement and lock the display device in its assembled orerected condition. In such condition, as shownin FIGS. 2 and 3, thesideflap front edges 23 overlie and are proximate the inside or upperface of front or base flap l9, and tongues 28 underlie the rear borderof flap 19. In the erect position of section 12 as a display device, theerected device rests on the front or lower edge of panel 18 and on theouter or bottom edges of tongues 28 and bridge sections 27, the panel 18being sharply upwardly rearwardly inclined and the flap 19 beingslightly upwardly inclined. The flap 20 is folded to a positionsubstantially coplanar with panel 18. The erected display device may bepositioned where desired.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations,omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spiritthereof.

We claim:

l. The combination including display carton cover and a carton, saidcarton cover being formed of a unitary blank and comprising aninformation bearing rectangular top panel, a front flap integrallyformed with and depending from the front edge of said top panel anddelineated therefrom by a fold line, a sideflap integrally formed withand depending from each side of said top panel and delineated therefromby a fold line, the edges of said sideflaps proximate said front flapforming acute angles with corresponding side edges of said top panel,said front and sideflaps being provided with cooperating coupling meansproximate their adjacent edges, and said front flap being inwardlyfoldable about said top panel front edge to form an acute angle withsaid top panel and said sideflaps being inwardly swingable to bring saidfront edges thereof into confronting relationship with the inner face ofsaid front flap, said coupling means being interengagable to retain saidfront and sideflaps in said inwardly folded positions to form a lockeddisplay device wherein said top panel defines a display panel forming anacute angle with said front flap, and said carton being of rectangulartransverse cross section of inside dimensions substantially equal tothat of said top panel and including vertical front, rear and sidewalls,the outer faces of said cover front and sideflaps slideably engaging theinside faces of respective carton front and side walls.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said coupling means are defined bya pair of opposite upwardly diverging coupling slots formed in thebottom edge of said front flap proximate its bottom corners and a pairof coupling tabs each including an upwardly directed tongue integrallyformed with and proximate the bottom front corner of each of saidsideflaps and forwardly spaced from the front edge thereof.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein each of said tabs includes abottom cross piece integrally joining the bottom of each of said tonguesto a respective sideflap, the heights of said pieces being substantiallyequal to the lengths of said slots.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bottom edges of said sideflapsare rearwardly upwardly inclined.

5. The combination of claim 1 including a rear flap depending from therear edge of said cover top panel and delineated therefrom by a foldline, and having side edges free of the rear edge of said sideflaps,said rear flap slideably engaging the inside face of said carton rearwall.

6. The display carton cover to claim 5 wherein said rear flap carn'esinformation on the rear face thereof.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said carton front wall is oflesser height than said carton rear wall and said cover rear flap is oflesser height than said cover front flap.

1. The combination including display carton cover and a carton, saidcarton cover being formed of a unitary blank and comprising aninformation bearing rectangular top panel, a front flap integrallyformed with and depending from the front edge of said top panel anddelineated therefrom by a fold line, a sideflap integrally formed withand depending from each side of said top panel and delineated therefromby a fold line, the edges of said sideflaps proximate said front flapforming acute angles with corresponding side edges of said top panel,said front and sideflaps being provided with cooperating coupling meansproximate their adjacent edges, and said front flap being inwardlyfoldable about said top panel front edge to form an acute angle withsaid top panel and said sideflaps being inwardly swingable to bring saidfront edges thereof into confronting relationship with the inner face ofsaid front flap, said coupling means being interengagable to retain saidfront and sideflaps in said inwardly folded positions to form a lockeddisplay device wherein said top panel defines a display panel forming anacute angle with said front flap, and said carton being of rectangulartransverse cross section of inside dimensions substantially equal tothat of said top panel and including vertical front, rear and sidewalls,the outer faces of said cover front and sideflaps slideably engaging theinside faces of respective carton front and side walls.
 2. Thecombination of claim 1 wherein said coupling means are defined by a pairof opposite upwardly diverging coupling slots formed in the bottom edgeof said front flap proximate its bottom corners and a pair of couplingtabs each including an upwardly directed tongue integrally formed withand proximate the bottom front corner of each of said sideflaps andforwardly spaced from the front edge thereof.
 3. The combination ofclaim 2 wherein each of said tabs includes a bottom cross pieceintegrally joining the bottom of each of said tongues to a respectivesideflap, the heights of said pieces being substantially equal to thelengths of said slots.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bottomedges of said sideflaps are rearwardly upwardly inclined.
 5. Thecombination of claim 1 including a rear flap depending from the rearedge of said cover top panel and delineated therefrom by a fold line,and having side edges free of the rear edge of said sideflaps, said rearflap slideably engaging the inside face of said carton rear wall.
 6. Thedisplay carton cover to claim 5 wherein said rear flap carriesinformation on the rear face thereof.
 7. The combination of claim 5wherein said carton front wall is of lesser height than said carton rearwall and said cover rear flap is of lesser height than said cover frontflap.